


Good Hair, Bad News

by Victorious56



Series: Early Days [6]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Developing Relationship, Flirting, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Rated for one mild swear word, intensifies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:34:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23962453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victorious56/pseuds/Victorious56
Summary: Time to trim those untidy feathers.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Early Days [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1708144
Comments: 12
Kudos: 65





	Good Hair, Bad News

**Author's Note:**

> This refers to an OC mentioned in the previous work _A Bird in the Hand_ , so probably best if you've read that one before this 🙂

As Qrow entered the mess hall he could hear the voices of team RWBY above the general hum of chatter. _Oh gods, what now?_ He collected a cup of tea and a plate of pancakes, and decided to brave the conversation.

"Morning Uncle Qrow!" Quite how Ruby managed to be so perky at breakfast, Qrow had never been able to work out.

"Hi there kiddo, what's all the commotion for?"

"We're all going to get our hair cut! Weiss knows the owner of a really smart salon and they will cut our hair any way we want!"

Qrow looked at Ruby's excited face and felt a twinge of sadness. This kind of moment should be the norm at her age, not the exception. He put his tray on the table and ruffled her hair. "As long as I can still do this afterwards," he laughed.

Ruby pouted, pretending she objected to his fond gesture. "Well, yours is getting a bit messy I mean even more than usual, so perhaps you should come with us."

Qrow grimaced. "Not sure an up-market salon is quite my style."

Harriet overheard his comment as she passed by. "You could use the one some of the other Ops go to. Elm, Marrow and Clover all use the same place. It's more of a basic barber's shop, called _A Sharper Cut_ I think, but you'd have to ask one of them where it is."

Qrow thanked her, and was about to sit down when he noticed one of the Ace Ops arriving in the mess hall. He smiled to himself. Of course, it had to be.

Clover strolled over to where Qrow was standing. "Hi Qrow, how are you doing?"

"I was about to have breakfast." Qrow looked at the other man, unable to stop the smile curving his mouth.

"What a coincidence, so was I. D'you fancy finding a quieter place to sit?"

As the noise at the team RWBY table showed no sign of diminishing, Qrow nodded. "I'll grab a table over there." He waved his tray vaguely, slopping tea as he did so.

"Be with you in a mo." Clover headed to the counter while Qrow sat down and tried to mop up the spillage.

"So what was all the ruckus about?" Clover sat opposite Qrow and started on his scrambled eggs.

"Oh, nothing really. Weiss is getting them organised with a trip to a hair salon. Not sure why the discussion needs to be conducted at max volume, but that's kids for you."

Clover regarded the older man. "Will you be joining them?" He grinned as Qrow scowled at him.

"You suggesting my hair is in need of attention?"

Clover allowed himself a moment's daydream where he was the one attending to Qrow's hair. He wondered if it would feel as soft as it looked when he gently stroked his fingers through it...

"... if you wouldn't mind?"

"Uh sorry, didn't quite catch that." Clover blushed as he looked at Qrow.

Qrow looked at him, his eyes narrowing slightly. "The place where you go to get your hair cut? Harriet said you used a good place that wasn't too... fancy."

"Oh right, yes. Um, it's called _A Sharper Cut_."

"I know _that_ ," said Qrow patiently. "What I don't know, is where it is." He looked at Clover's face, slowly returning to its usual colour.

Clover looked back steadily, a small smile forming on his lips. "So we're having a staring contest now?"

Qrow blinked several times. "What?"

"Nothing." Clover grinned. "It's a bit out of the way, but next time we're both free I can show you where it is, if you like."

"You're doing well at showing me things." Qrow smirked, holding Clover's gaze.

Clover felt the background noise recede as he looked into Qrow's eyes. He'd not appreciated the soft crimson colour of the irises, or the small lines at the outer corners, before. _Why not? They're... gorgeous._

Qrow looked down, heat rising in his face. _What in Dust's name is going on? It's breakfast in the mess hall and I can't stop looking at him..._

"Guess I win then." Clover sat back in his chair, folding his arms and cocking one eyebrow at Qrow's flustered face.

Qrow tried to muster up some dignity. "I'd be very grateful if you could show me the barber's place."

"Of course, Qrow, I'll check the rotas and let you know the best time."

Qrow pushed his chair back as he rose to his feet. Picking up his tray, he said, "Thanks, sunbeam."

Clover turned his head to watch Qrow walk away. _Sunbeam._ He grinned broadly and went back to his eggs, not even noticing that they were nearly cold.

❖

Three days later Clover and Qrow headed out into the city centre. The early rush had subsided, though the streets were still fairly busy. They took a couple of turnings and the traffic noise was left behind as they entered a pedestrian-only district. Another turning and they were in a small courtyard, with a variety of shops looking out onto the paved area in the centre.

"Here we are." Clover stopped at the entrance to a narrow shop with a red-and-white striped pole outside.

"I just realised, should I have made an appointment?"

"It'll be fine, I know the owner."

"Of course you do." Qrow nudged Clover's shoulder as they approached the door. "Is there anyone you _don't_ know?"

Clover grinned at him as they entered. He spoke to the proprietor, gesturing to Qrow who was still lurking in the doorway. The elderly wolf Faunus considered Qrow, one hand on his chin, before beckoning to him to come forward.

"I'll leave you to it. There's a coffee shop across the way, I'll wait for you there."

"Oh, are we having coffee now?"

"Don't want you getting lost on your way back." Clover clapped Qrow gently on the shoulder and walked out, whistling tunelessly.

"Please, sit down. Now, how do you want it?" The barber twirled a cape around Qrow's shoulders and rotated the chair to face the large mirror.

  


Qrow emerged from the barber's and squinted in the sunlight which angled down between the buildings. He ruffled his fingers though his hair, crossing the courtyard to enter the coffee shop. Clover looked up as he entered, a smile spreading across his face as he put his scroll down and waved to Qrow.

"You haven't had anything yet?"

"No, I thought I'd wait for you. It's okay, they didn't mind. I—"

"Know the owner, yeah I get the drill." Qrow smiled. "Do we get a discount?"

"I don't know them _that_ well."

"Ah well, never mind. Shall we get something?"

Qrow chose a lemon and ginger tea, and Clover had—

"What on earth is that monstrosity?"

Clover blinked. "It's only a hot chocolate."

"With whipped cream, and chocolate sprinkles, and a chocolate... stick in it."

"Don't be critical, I've earned this." Clover dropped into his chair.

"Hmph, what did you do?"

"Got this guy I know to get a really good haircut."

Qrow blushed, raising a hand to his hair. "It looks okay, do you think?" He sat down opposite Clover.

"Oh yeah." Clover's voice was soft as he leaned forward, one hand twitching as it moved across the table a little.

Qrow looked at his tea. "Glad you like it." His voice was husky.

The moment was interrupted by a buzz from Clover's scroll. He glanced at it briefly, then looked more closely before tapping the screen. His brow furrowed, lips pinching as his eyes scanned the message. He looked up at Qrow, the corners of his mouth turning down.

"Everything okay?"

"No, not really." Clover glanced at his scroll again. "I— there's a bit of bad news."

"Not family problems? Everyone okay?"

Clover shook his head quickly. "No, nothing like that. It's..." He looked up at Qrow, his eyes bright. "It's Blaze."

For a moment Qrow wasn't sure what he meant. "Oh gods, your friend from the Academy? What's happened?"

Clover sighed deeply. "He's dead."

"What? Oh, Clover." Qrow reached out a hand and clasped Clover's firmly. "I'm sorry."

Clover swallowed hard. "Stupid, it's not like we were close or anything. But seeing his photo the other day, I guess he's been in my mind a bit more than before." He sniffed loudly.

Qrow pulled a paper napkin from the holder on the table, and silently handed it to Clover. He blew his nose, looking at Qrow with a tremulous smile. "Thanks."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's not much to say, really. He was on a mission in Mistral, nothing out of the ordinary apparently. Got badly attacked by a Grimm, the wound turned nasty... He didn't recover from it." Clover wiped his nose. "He'd been married, no kids, and I think they'd separated last thing I heard. We get this yearly update from the Academy. So I knew what he'd been up to..."

Qrow took Clover's hands in each of his. "It's a danger we all face. Doesn't make it any less shitty when something like this happens."

Clover turned his hands over and squeezed Qrow's. "Thank you, Qrow. I'm glad you were here when I found out."

"Me too." Qrow withdrew his hands and picked up his tea. "You going to be able to manage that... thing?"

Clover sniffed again and gave a weak chuckle. "I'll do my best."

  


As they walked back to the barracks, there was a silence between them which neither man found awkward or uncomfortable. They reached Clover's quarters first.

"You going to be okay? Give me a buzz if you need to talk, or something."

"Thanks, Qrow." Clover stepped forwards, his arms reaching around Qrow's shoulders. Qrow hesitated, then slid his arms round Clover's waist. The hug was gentle as Clover rested his cheek lightly against Qrow's hair.

They broke apart, cheeks flushing, arms falling away.

"Your hair is so soft."

"Your guy did a good job."

"He had a good subject."

"I won't deny that."

They looked at each other.

"Bye, sunbeam. Remember, buzz me if you need anything." Qrow gave Clover's hand a final squeeze, before continuing down the corridor towards his own quarters.

**Author's Note:**

> Friendly comments always appreciated, thank you.
> 
> Their hug at the end put me in mind of [this scene](https://youtu.be/EB5Y0HIFKdY), but fortunately it was nowhere near as awkward 😀


End file.
